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| India-Pakistan |
| Australian PM Howard reviews policy on uranium trade to India |
| 2006-03-06 |
| AM - Monday, 6 March , 2006 08:00:00 Reporter: Catherine McGrath TONY EASTLEY: The Prime Minister John Howard has opened the door to changing Australia's policy allowing uranium sales to India, saying as long as the rules are followed and safeguards met, Australia would be happy to sell. Currently Australia cannot sell uranium to India because the government in New Delhi has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But the nuclear deal reached between the United States and India last week has increased the pressure on Australia to review its policy, and according to media reports India's Prime Minister will ask Mr Howard, who's on a trip there at the moment, to consider opening up Australian uranium exports. Chief Political Correspondent Catherine McGrath is travelling with the Prime Minister, and she filed this report from New Delhi. CATHERINE MCGRATH: How quickly things can begin to change. Last week Alexander Downer said the US deal wouldn't impact on Australia's policy. But on his arrival India the Prime Minister indicated he was open to the idea of selling uranium. JOHN HOWARD: I'd be very happy to talk about the issue. Australia does have large supplies of uranium. We have some of the largest uranium deposits in the world, and provided the rules are followed and the safeguards are met, we are willing to sell. But we have to be satisfied about the safeguards. CATHERINE MCGRATH: This is not a done deal, but the Government has certainly softened its stance on selling uranium to a country that has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Arriving in New Delhi at the start of his short trip, Mr Howard said he wasn't motivated by the fact that the United States had taken a position, but more that the deal could open Indian nuclear facilities to international inspections. JOHN HOWARD: It's important for us all to get a bit more information about the deal. It hasn't been explained in total detail, and the Indian Government is under some constraint because of its obligation to report to parliament. And of course the deal from the American point of view has to go through Congress. So I think we're just running ahead of ourselves a bit. Let's digest exactly what the Americans and the Indians have agreed to. I welcome the fact that for the first time a lot of India's nuclear capacity is going to be subjected to international inspection. So that's certainly a big step forward. But that wasn'tÂ… that doesn't happen now. CATHERINE MCGRATH: But with China concerned that the nuclear agreement between the United States and India is aimed as a counterbalance measurer, Mr Howard says the Australian position will be determined in our national interest. JOHN HOWARD: Well, I don't think Australia should ever make decisions in relation to these things just on the basis of we don't want to do something that might upset somebody else. We have a good relationship with China. That hasn't stopped us having the closest relationship we've probably ever had with the United States. And the same thing applies with India. CATHERINE MCGRATH: Any change in position would be a major shift in a policy that was grounded in the importance of containing the use of nuclear weapons, using the UN treaty. John Howard has emphasised that no decision has been made, however he's certainly willing to talk to the Indian Prime Minister about it during their bilateral meeting later today. This is Catherine McGrath in New Delhi reporting for AM. |
| Posted by:Jeamp Thratle7267 |
| #1 Since the fuel (and the civilian reactors it would be used in) would be under IAEA safeguards, this should not be a problem. |
| Posted by: john 2006-03-06 14:35 |